Otago University Students' Association
Motto | Audeamus (Latin) |
---|---|
Institution | University of Otago |
Location | Dunedin, New Zealand |
Established | 1890 |
President | Quintin Jane |
Chief Executive | Debbie Downs |
Vice president | Imogen Macalister |
Members | c. 20,000 |
Affiliations | New Zealand Union of Students' Associations |
Website | Official Website |
The Otago University Students' Association (OUSA) is the
Today, OUSA provides a combination of representation, welfare, advocacy, recreation and events for its members. It runs student support services, supports clubs and societies on campus, and organises the University of Otago Orientation and Reorientation weeks.[2]
OUSA has a number of subsidiary brands and companies, including Critic Te Ārohi, the student magazine, Radio One, the student radio station, University Bookshop Limited, and Planet Media.
History
As well as providing facilities and
Over the years the Students' Association has had its share of
In July 2010, the OUSA executive was controversially restructured. Initiated by President Harriet Geoghegan, the new executive would have ten members: President, Administrative Vice President, Finances and Services Officer, Education Officer, Welfare Officer, and five general representatives each holding a portfolio: Postgraduate Students, International Students, Campaigns, Recreation, and Colleges and Communications.[4] A referendum on the issue resulted in a 72.19% vote for the new structure caused a large number of complaints, none of which were upheld, and divided the existing OUSA Executive.[5][6]
The introduction of tuition fees has led to an increased focus on quality of education, with improvements to the student representative system and more student input on teaching and assessment.[citation needed] At the same time, the growing student population has meant that OUSA services from recreation facilities to student media have become businesses in their own right.
Structure
Membership
Under the Education Act 1989, membership in OUSA was compulsory for students enrolled at the University of Otago.[7] However, since 2011 the Government made all students' association in New Zealand voluntary membership. The OUSA now maintains a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with the university, which sees a proportion of the compulsory student services levy used to pay for OUSA services for students, this allows for the ongoing financial viability of the Association.
Executive
The Association is headed by a twelve-member executive led by the OUSA President.[8] The Executive consists of the President, Administrative Vice-president, Finance and Strategy Officer, Welfare and Equity Representative, Academic Representative, Political Representative, Clubs & Societies Representative, Residential Representative, International Students' Representative, Postgraduate Students' Representative, Te Rōpū Māori Tumuaki and the President of University of Otago Pacific Islands Students' Association. Executive meetings are held weekly or fortnightly, and are open to all members. Student General Meetings (SGMs) are held periodically throughout the year to consult with and engage the wider student body in a more formal context.
Executive Position | 2024 Officeholders[9] |
---|---|
President | Keegan Wells |
Administrative Vice-president | Emily Williams |
Finance and Strategy Officer | Abby Clayton |
Academic Representative | Stella Lynch |
Welfare and Equity Representative | Tara Shepherd |
Political Representative | Liam White |
Clubs and Societies Representative | Emma Jackson |
Residential Representative | Stella McCurdy |
International Students' Representative | Ibuki Nishida |
Postgraduate Students' Representative | Hanna Friedlander |
Te Rōpū Māori Tumuāki | Gemella Reynolds-Hatem |
University of Otago Pacific Islands
Students' Association President |
Telekalafi Likiliki |
Elections
Elections are held annually to select the incoming executive for the following year. Election weeks typically involve candidate forums for questions and debating between individuals running for office.
In September 2008, president-elect Jo Moore was disqualified from becoming the 2009 president after a complaint she came within 20 m of a polling facility during voting was upheld.[10]
Student Services
Annual Events
The OUSA is responsible for organising the annual
The Hyde Street party, also known as the Hyde Street Keg Party, is an annual event held in Dunedin in the first semester for students from the University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic, where many participants wear fancy dress.[11] The event originated in 1995, starting as a post-exam celebration organised by residents. The first event saw roughly 3,000 people and attracted bonfires, riot police and 13 students were arrested. It has since become a become a regular part of the Otago University social calendar. Since 2013 OUSA has organised the ticket sales and the health and safety surrounding the event.[12]
Other regular events organised by the OUSA include market days, art week, diversity week, the Capping Show, the Dunedin Craft Beer & Food Festival and an annual Battle of the Bands competition.
Clubs and Societies
As the largest student association at the University of Otago, the majority of on-campus clubs and societies affiliate to the association. Notably the Otago University Debating Society, now an affiliated club, pre-dates the formation of the Association, and it was members of the debating society that initiated the formation of OUSA in 1890. There are a number of long-standing clubs and societies on campus including the Otago University Rowing Club, the Otago University Rugby Football Club and the Otago University Medical Students Association. Today there are more than 150 clubs and societies affiliated to OUSA, representing a range of ethnicities, religions, politics, sports and interests of Otago students.[13]
The OUSA Clubs and Societies Centre houses the staff that manage the various clubs and societies and the recreation programmes organised by OUSA. Facilities within the centre for students include a sauna, study rooms, music rooms, dance rooms, storage for clubs and an exercise hall. A number of recreation classes are organised and run from the centre, including arts, crafts and cooking, music, sport and dance. Lunches are available at the centre daily during University semesters, and these are organised and provided by Hare Krishna Dunedin and Community Sai Youth.[citation needed]
Student Support
OUSA owns and maintains a department that provides support and advocacy for students. This includes class representation, queer support, a hardship fund and advocacy for a number of grievances.[14]
Student Media
Critic
Critic is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA), and was awarded Best Publication in the annual ASPA awards in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013.[15]
Critic has caused controversy on a number of occasions in the past. In 2006 the
Radio One
Radio One, or The One, is a
In the station's early years, Radio One was broadcast from a 100-watt ERP transmitter atop the 11-storey Hocken Building (now Richardson Building) - then the tallest building on the university campus. In the late 1980s, the station moved their transmitter to Dunedin's main FM radio transmitter atop Mount Cargill, north of the campus. This gives the station a range which covers much of coastal Otago, from Oamaru to past Balclutha. Radio One can now be heard anywhere in the world as it streams all content in 128 kbit/s stereo mp3 over the Internet.
The impetus for the station began with an open letter to the President of the Association (then Phyllis Comerford) from Alastair Thomson, who had worked on the
The station ran on a part-time basis during the university year until the mid-1990s, from which time it has been operating round-the-clock throughout the year in a new annex to the Student Union building which was specifically designed to house the station, the OUSA's offices, and the university's student newspaper
Radio One alumni include Shayne Carter, Wallace Chapman, Charlotte Glennie, Sam Hayes, Jan Hellriegel, Lesley Paris, David Pine, Brent Hodge, Sean Norling, Chris Armstrong and Ria Vandervis. Aaron Hawkins served as Radio One's breakfast host from 2006 to 2013 and music director from 2011 to 2013 before standing for the Dunedin mayoralty and being elected a Dunedin City central ward councillor. [23][24]
Notable alumni
Past Presidents
- Ayesha Verrall, President 2001 (Labour Party Member of Parliament)[25]
- Rachel Brooking, President 1997 (Labour Party Member of Parliament)[25]
- Grant Robertson, President 1993 (Labour Party Member of Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister 2020–23)[25]
- Kirsty Graham, President 1992 (Deputy Permanent Representative Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New York) [25]
- Sir Jon Doig, President 1988 (Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland)[25]
- David Payton, President 1976 (Administrator of Tokelau 2006-09 and Ambassador to the Netherlands 2002-06 and Saudi Arabia 1997–2000)[25]
- Sir James Bruce Robertson, President 1968 (President of the Law Commission and High Court Judge)[25]
- Patrick Thomas Finnigan, President 1967 (Filed the injunction to stop the Springbok Tour)[25]
- Sir Murray Brennan, President 1964 (Chairman of the Surgery Department of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and author)[25]
- Sir Frank Holmes, President 1947 (Economist and government advisor)[25]
- Jack Dodd, President 1946 (Hector's Medal Winner and well-known physicist)[25]
- Dr Douglas Peter (Doug) Kennedy, President 1937 (Director General of Health)[25]
- Wilfred (Mick) Borrie, President 1936 (Demographer and Australian government advisor)[25]
- Sir John Arthur Stallworthy, President 1930 (Nuffield Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford)[25]
- Phillippe Sidney de Quetteville Cabot, President 1924-26 (Founding President of the National Union of Students (precursor to NZUSA) and an All Black)
- Professor Alexander Aitken, President 1920 (Renowned mathematician who developed a number of novel methodologies such as Aitken Extrapolation)
- Te Rangi Hīroa (Sir Peter Buck), President 1901 (Renowned doctor, politician and military leader)[25]
Past Executive Members
- Barry Allan, Treasurer 1986 (Contract Law and Torts Law Lecturer at the University of Otago)[25]
- Lady Nola Holmes, Women's Vice-president 1946-47 (The first Women's vice president to receive honorary life membership)[26]
Life Members
- Sukhi Turner, Appointed 2004 (Mayor of Dunedin)[25]
- Ronald Chambers, Appointed 1999 (University of Otago Proctor 1980–2001)[25]
- Rod Carr, Appointed 1980 (University of Canterbury Vice-Chancellor 2009–2019)[25]
- Sir Arthur Beacham, Appointed 1966 (University of Otago Vice-Chancellor 1963–66)[25]
- George VI, made a life member when visiting the University of Otago as Duke of York in 1927.
References
- ISBN 978-0-473-00899-4.
- ^ Otago University Students' Association. "About OUSA". Retrieved 28 March 2011.
- ^ W.S. McCallum. "New Zealand Student Politics 1980s–1990s". Retrieved 19 December 2008.
- ^ "Elections – OUSA Otago University Students Association". Retrieved 9 August 2010.
- OCLC 173348156. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
- OCLC 173348156. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
- ^ "Section 229A". Education Act 1989 No 80 (as at 01 February 2011). New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
- ^ "The OUSA Executive". Otago University Students' Association. Archived from the original on 30 July 2008. Retrieved 9 September 2008.
- ^ Association, Otago University Students'. "Your Executive 2024". OUSA - Otago University Students' Association. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
- ^ "OUSA president-elect stunned at dumping". New Zealand Herald. 9 September 2008. Retrieved 9 September 2008.
- stuff.co.nz. The Press. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
- odt.co.nz. Allied Press.
- ^ "Recreation and Clubs – Otago University Students Association". Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ Otago University Students' Association. "Support - OUSA". Retrieved 26 October 2016.
- ^ "Excellence in student media recognised". Retrieved 6 October 2013.
- ^ "Student drug-rape magazine banned". New Zealand Herald. 1 February 2006. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
- ^ "Case Number: 2144 OTAGO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TRUST AGAINST CRITIC-TE AROHI". New Zealand Press Council. October 2010. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
- ^ "Complaint over vagrant article in 'Critic' upheld". Otago Daily Times. 9 November 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
- ^ "'Critic' Editor Steps Down". Otago Daily Times. Tue, 21 May 2013. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
- ^ "Critic Editor Receives Payout". Salient. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
- ^ "The Critic Payout". Kiwiblog. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
- ^ Dignan, J. (19 February 2009). "Pilots of the airwaves still". Otago Daily Times. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 17 March 2009.
- ^ "Aaron Hawkins". Daily Blog. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
- ^ "Councillor Aaron Hawkins". Dunedin City Council. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Life Members – Otago University Students Association". Retrieved 4 June 2023.
- ^ "OUSA celebrates 125 years". Retrieved 17 October 2016.
External links
- Otago University Students' Association website
- Critic – weekly newspaper
- Radio One – student radio station
- Planet Media
- University Book Shop
- NZUSA is the national student body, of which OUSA is a founding member.